Stationary chemical-mixing fire-extinguishing system



Aug 25, 1-924 r J. w. ENRIGHT STATIONARY CHEMICAL MIXING FIRE XTINGUISHING SYSTEM Filed Oct. 7. 1920 Patented Aug. 26, 1924.

UNITED STATES JOHN W. ENRIGHT, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISTANA.

STATIONARY CHEMICAL-MIXING FIRE-EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM.

Application filed' October 7, 1920. Serial No. 415,275.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN WV. ENRicnT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stationary Chemical-Mixing Fire-Extinguisher Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a stationar chemical-mixing fire-extinguisher system.

The invention relates to a system which is devoid of moving mechanical parts and operates automatically under fire emergency conditions and the objects of the invention are to insure the prompt and certain automatic operation of the system and to insure a regular and continuous supply of acid to the alkaline solution, thereby providing for the discharge of substantially the entire volume of alkaline solution at a substantially uniform pressure.

in the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1 the system includes the usual tank 1 for an alkaline solution, and a riser 2 extending from said tank throughout the height of the building, and in the embodiment disclosed, is connected at its upper end to a distributing system including a reservoir 15, in turn connected to the upper end of a standpipe 18 from which extend the leaders or laterals 16 carrying the sprinkler heads 17. The reservoir 15, stand-pipe 18 and leaders or laterals 16 are filled with an extinguishing liquid, preferably of a non-freezing variety, and the lower end of the stand-pipe 18 projects into a reservoir 6 containing mercury. The system also includes a reservoir 5, which connects to the reservoir 6 by a pipe 19, the pipe 19 extending into the mercury in the reservoir 6. The system also includes a primary acid receptacle 1, which is preferably arranged in an extension 7 of the tank 1, located at its upper side thereof. The primary acid receptacle 4: encloses an acid discharge siphon pipe 13 projecting externally of said receptacle and discharging into the tank 1., the amount of acid discharged from the primary acid receptacle being sufficient to generate the initial working pressure.

The system also includes a secondary acid receptacle 3 which encloses a discharge pipe 8 discharging at its upper end into the tank 1.

The air spaces in the primary and secondary acid receptacles normally have free and unrestricted communication with the air space in the tank 1 for preventing pressure differences between the air space in the lank and the air spaces in the primary and secondary acid receptacles. tion consists of a pressure equalizing pipe 9 having a downturned limb 10 and branches 11 and 12 which form a trap for a liquid seal, under fire emergency conditions as will be explained later. At its upper end the pipe 9 is connected to the reservoirs 5 and 6, by a bent conduit forming a trap lat.

After the tank 1 has been filled with the requisite amount of alkaline solution and now ready for operation.

When a sprinkler head 17 is opened under fire emergency conditions, the extinguisher liquid in reservoir 15 is discharged and the pressure on the mercury in the reservoir 6 is relieved with the result that the mercury column recedes from the trap 14, allowing the liquid in the reservoir 5 to flow through the trap 14 into the pipe 9, and entering the pipes 11 and 12 in which it is trapped, hermetically sealing the communication between the air spaces of the receptacles 3 and 4t and the tank 1. The liquid flowing into the trap formed by the pipes 9, 11 and 12 rises in the pipe 12 and compresses the trapped air in the primary acid receptacle creating a pressure sulficient to initiate the siphoning of acid from the primary receptacle. The high pressure gases generated in the solution tank consequent to the mixing of the chemicals passes through the pipe 10 to the liquid seal in the trap formed by the pipes 9-12 and acting uponthis seal equalizes the pressure in the primary receptacle with the pressure in the tank 1, thus insuring an uninterrupted siphoning of acid from the primary acid receptacle. The high pressure gases generated consequent to the mixing of the chemicals in the solution tank, also passes through the pipe 8 to the receptacle 3 in which it is trapped This comniunlcaby the, liquid seal in the pipes 9 and 11 and becomeseliective to eject acid from the secondary acid receptacle, as soon as the pressure in the tank falls below the trapped pressure in the secondary acid receptacle, In this way the operation of the system is maintained continuously and at asubstantially uniform rate of pressure.

Having fully described my invention, I

claimz- 1. In a. chemical mixing fire extinguisher system, a, carbonate solution tank, anaei'd receptacle positioned in operative relation to said tank havin the upper part thereof closed to form an air chambena siphonaffording communication between said. recep- .tacle' and said tank, a pressure equalizing pipe communicating with said tank and having an upwardly turned branch. communicating with said air chamber, said. pipe normally being open throughout its. length for balancing the pressure on both sides of the body of acid: in said-receptacle, but adapted upon occasion to receive and sustain. an unbalancing liquid. column, an elevated reservoir normally containing sulficient liquid to. form. said unbalancing colummapipe having an upward bend connecting, saidreservoir and pressure equalizingpipe, said .bend' being normally filled with mercury formin a seal, a distributing system including [a stand pipe communicating with said mercury seal and maintaining the level of the mercury therein suliiciently high to prevent discharge of the liquid contained in said reservoir into said pressure equalizing pipe, a sprinkler l'iead communicating with said} distributingsystem, said mercury sea-lfbeing l'owered', up on the depletion of, the column oiJliq-uidj in said distributing system through said sprinkler head, sufliciently to permitdischarge of the liquid from, said' reservoir into said pressure equalizing pipe, forming an unhal'ancing column of suflicient. height to initiate the siphonic discharge of acid from said acid receptacle intosa-id carbonate solution tank.

, 2.111 a chemical mixing fire extinguishing system,,a carbonate solution tank, primary and. seQQndary acid receptacles positioned, in

operative relation to. said tank,, and having the upper parts, thereof enclosed to form air chambers, a siphon affording communication between the primary acid receptacle and said tank, a pressure equalizing pipe the pressure on both sides of, the bodies oi acid in said; receptacles, but adapted upon occasion to receive and sustain an unbalancing liquid column for 'initiatin 7 the siphonic dischargeoi' acid from the primary acid receptacle into the carbonate solution tank, a discharge pipe for the secondary acid receptacle opening within said receptacle below the normal liquid level therein and terminating within the carbonate solution tank externally oi said secondary acid receptacle at a sufficient heightto defeat the initiation of siphonic fiow therethrough by said unbalancing column, an. elevated reservoir normally containing liquid to form said unbalancing column, a pipe having an upward bend connecting said reservoir and pressure equalizing pipe, said bend-being normally filled with mercury forming a seal, a distributing system including a stand pipe communicating with said mercury seal and maintaining the level of mercury therein sufficiently high to prevent discharge of the liquid contained insaid reservoir into said pressure equalizing pipe, a sprinkler head communicating with said distributing system, the level of said mercury seal being lowered, upon the depletion of the column of liquid in said distributing system through said sprinkler head, sufii'ciently to permit discharge of the liquid from said; reservoir into said pressure equalizing pipe, forming therein the unbalancing column oil-liquid.

In testimonywhereofl have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses;

JOHN WV; ENRIGHT Witnesses:

IsAAo S; HELLER, ELVA RIsHER. 

